Game apparatus



Patented Nov. i3, 1923.

GEORGE C. EASTON, OF RIDGEVOOD,

NESV JERSEY.

GAME APPARATUS.

Application filed September 18, i922.

To all 107mm 'it may concern.'

Be 1t known that l. Gannon C. EASTON, a

`citizen of the United States of America, re-

siding at Ridgewood, Bergen County, New Jersey, have invented new and useful linprovements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to game apparatus, the object of the invention being to provide an apparatus which furnishes a new and highly interesting and entertaining game, and which may also be used for practicing and perfecting the strokes of a golf player.

A further object of the invention is to provide a game apparatus which may be readily dismantled and packed for storage or shipment.

A further object of the invention is the provision f a flexible shock absorber' for use in the playing of games which involve a captive ball, and to generally improve the method of tethering the ball whereby the tethering cord will be rendered more durable than heretofore.

l/Vith the foregoing and other view, which will appear as the description proceeds, theinvention consists in the novel features of construction and combination of parts which will be more fully described hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

ln the drawings, accompanying and forming part of this specification,

Fig. l is a perspective view of one form of apparatus embodying the invention, showing the same set up for playing the game;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a device forming a part of the apparatus and which device I have termed herein a shock absorber;

F ig. 3 is a side view, broken away, of one of the supporting posts, the base thereof being shown in section;

F ig. 4f is a similar view of porting post;

Fig. 5 is a side view of a ring forming the mainobjective or goal of the apparatus; and

F ig. 6 is a partly sectional, perspective view illustrating my improved method of tethering the ball.

The same characters of nate the same parts in the of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus the other supreference desigdifferent figures Ydistance at one side objects in Vhinged together',

Serial No. 588,820.

comprises a pair of posts l and 2, spaced apart a predetermined distance, said distance being determined bythe player, each of said posts being preferably provided with a weighted base ln and 2 respectively. A flexible member 3, which may be of wire, cord or any -other suitable material, is stretched between the posts, one end thereof being secured to a hool Ll carried by post 2 and the other end passed through a screw eye 5 carried by post l and fastened to a cleat 6 mounted on the post l below said screw eye. A small ring 7 of metal or any othe suitable material encircles the flexible member 3, to which ring is attached one end of a string or cord 8, which carries at its opposite end a captive ball 9, the string being of suliicient length to permit the ball to rest freely on the ground at a suitable of the apparatus, and to allow the ball when struck to travel through the air at the height at which an untethered golf-ball would travel when a long drive is made.

The post 2 is of greater height than post l, and carries at its upper end a ring 10 through which it is the object of the player to drive the ball. rlhe ring may be of any suitable construction and secured to the post in any desired manner. ln order, however, to provide for the ready dismantling of the apparatus to enable the same to be packed for storage or shipment, l have shown herein a foldable ring which can easily be removed from the post, but the form of which is such that it will retain its proper position when placed on the post. is shown in Fig. 5, the ring comprises two approximately semicircular sections 10a and l0" hinged together bv means of loops formed at their ends whereby the sections may be folded to lie one on the other. Each of the ring sections at one end thereof is bent first inwardly andthen at right-angles to the first bend, as shown at 10 and l0 thereby to form, when the sections arc an inverted U-shaped portion extending inwardly from the circumference of the ring. The post 2 is provided at its upper end with a recess 2b within which the U-shaped portion of the ring is adapted to seat, and with a plurality of pairs of pins 2C at one or both sides of the post immediately below said recess, said pins being spaced apart to receive between them one of the legs l0c and l0d of the ring sections thereby to retain the ring in upright position on the post.

Instead ot connecting f the end ot the member 3 directly to the hook it ot postQ, the shock absorber shown in Fig. 2 Vmay be interposed therebetween. This shock absorber comprises a helical spring Il. to one end oi which is attached one end of a double cord l2, the ords et" which are knotted at a. short distance from the spring andare separated and passed separately through a disk 13, which in ay be 'of leather or any other suitable materialq each cord being knottedimmediately betore and after its passage through the disk thereby to prevent the latter from moving along the cords under the impact o'l" the ring 7 as it slides alongthe member 3, t'sonie distance beyond the disk. the cords are again brought tf'igether and knotted, whereby they may be secured on the hook otA post 2. The spring Il is preferably tapered 'toward the end ot Athe menibei' 3 to which Iit isattached, so as to permit the ringV ito readily pass over said spring when the ball is driven.

ln Fig. I have illustrated a special torni rt ring by means of which the att-ached end o't'the tethering string S is protected against rictional conta/t with the member 3.' In this t'orin, the cylindrici'il stock trom which the ring is made is flattened at one portion ot the ring andthe edges of said iattened portion rolled inwardly so as to formv a depression within the ring. A radially extending opening is formed in the bottonrof said depression for the passage of the end of the string or co-rd 8. which is knotted after its passage through said opening, so that the knotl lies within said depression, as shown at TBFig. 6. In Fig. G, I have also shown an improved method et tetliering the ball. As thereinillustrated, the ball 9 has molded within it a4 disk la, preferably oi"A leather, to `which the double cord 8 is atf tached by passing the separated cords through spaced apart openings in the disk and knotting said cords together at the rear ot' the disk. By thus molding the cord right into the ball, the necessity for providing a rigid member having means extending outside ot the periphery of theball for attachnient 'ot' the string is avoided, and by the use ot a disk of comparatiif'ely sott and flexible material for anchoring the string within the ball, the string` will ontlast the f ball, since'A its' contant with the anchoring disk vis practically fric-tionless.

For providing additional hazards and thus increasing interest in the game, a pair of posts l5', each provided with a weighted base, may be placed at opposite sides of post 2. said posts l5 being of greater height than post l2. i

The apparatus is ,used as follows: After the structure has been set up as shown in v(anse the Vball topass'iirst on one side of post 2 and then on lthe other sideV thereof betweensaid post and the vposts l5, the player being awarded a certain number of points for successfully making either ot said strokes. A

'While I have described in detailthe structure herein illustrated, Vit is to be understood that I do not thereby-limit my inw vention to the precise features of construction shown, as I ani aware that many mechanical changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope ot the claims appended hereto.

Having thus describedmy invention, what I claim is: 1 Y

l. A game apparatus, comprising, in conibination, a flexible member maintained in taut condition, a goal supported adjacent 'to one end of said flexible' member and havingan opening` out of alignment with the flexible member, and a ball tethered to said tiexible member and adapted to be driven along the same and vthrough said goal;

9 A game apparatus, comprising, in conibinati'on, a pa'ir of posts, a goal carried by Y one ot' said posts, and having an opening, a flexible member Vstretched betweenV the posts out of alignment with the goal1open-v ing, vand a ball tethered to said flexible memberj and adaptedto be driven from one post toward the other and tlirough the goal opening.

3. frame apparatus, comprsing, in combination, a pair or" posts, a goal'carriedby one otsaid posts and having an opening, aV Y tiexible member stretched between said posts out of alignment with the goal openinv a balltethered to said flexible member atiid adapted to be driven from one post toward the other and through said goal openine,

and a pair ot' posts forming hazards, one atAV each side ot said goal post. Y y

Y A game apparatus, comprising, in eombination, apair ot posts, Va ring surmount- 'ing one of said posts, a flexible member stretched between said posts andconneot'ed tothe ring 'carrying postat a Vpoint belovv said ring, and a ball tethered to said tieXible member and adapted to be driven along the Y same and to pass through said ring.

5. A game apparatus, comprising, incombination, a pair 'of posts, one of said posts having a recess in its upperend, a removable iirs` 1roV and toldable'ring lseated insaid ,recess and 113 having means for engaging the sides of the post thereby to retain the ring in an upright position, a flexible member stretched between said posts, and a ball tethered to said flexible member and adapted to be driven along the same toward the ring carrying post and to pass through said ring.

6. A game apparatus, comprising, in eombination, a pair of posts, a flexible member stretched between said posts, a member mounted on saidv flexible member and adapted to travel along the same, and a ball tethered t-o said traveling member and adapted to be driven from one post toward the other, said flexible member including a shock-absorber located adjacent to said last post and adapted to engage said traveling member thereby to cheek the speed of said ball.

7. A game apparatus, comprising, in combination, a pair of posts, a flexible member stretched between said posts, a member mounted on said flexible member and adapted to travel along the same, a ball tethered to said traveling member and adapted to be driven from one post toward the other, and a. disk supported by said flexible member in the path of the traveling member and adapted to engage the same thereby to cheek the speed of the ball.

8, A game apparatus, comprising, in oombination, a pair of posts, a flexible member stretched between said posts, a ring encircling said flexible member and adapted to travel along the same, a cord secured at one end to said ring and carrying a ball at its opposite end, said ring having means for preventing frictional Contact of said cord with the flexible member.

9. A game apparatus, comprising, in combination, a flexible member supported in taut Condition, said flexible member including a coil spring, a disk Connected to said spring and maintained in transverse relation thereto, a traveling member carried by said flexible member and adapted to travel along the same and beyond the spring without obstruction and to be cheeked by said disk, and a ball tethered to said traveling member'.

10. A game apparatus, Comprising, in combination, a member maintained in taut condition in a horizontal plane, a goal supported adjacent to one end of said member and out of alignment therewith, and a ball tethered to said member so as to travel along the same, the tether being of greater length than the vertical distance between the taut member and the surface on which the apparatus is supported, whereby the ball may be driven from a recumbent position and caused to travel along said taut member and reach said goal.

In testimony wher-eerl I have name to this specification.

GEORGE C. EASTON.

signed my 

